Evening Brief: Trump train off the rails

An EU and a British union flag are displayed in front of a six-meter high cartoon baby blimp of U.S. President Donald Trump, as it is flown as a protest against his visit, in Parliament Square in London, England, Friday, July 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland)

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Good Evening to you.

We begin today with a landmark development in the Mueller investigation. As CNN reports, the Justice Department announced indictments against 12 Russian nationals as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election. All 12 defendants are members of the GRU, Russian military intelligence. They are accused of hacking emails and computer networks held by the Democratic party. The U.S. Justice department says that the hacks deliberately targeted Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, to release information under the “DCLeaks and Guccifer 2.0” moniker. There were no Americans named. Read the full 29-page indictment here.

It was announced as U.S. President Donald Trump met with Queen Elizabeth II during the stop in Britain and before he meets Vladimir Putin the Russian leader on Monday.

Just before meeting the Queen, Trump told a joint press conference with the British prime minister that he would “absolutely bring (meddling) up,” when he meets Putin.

“I don’t think there will be any gee i did it i did it you got me. There won’t be a Perry Mason here, I don’t think, but you never know what happens right. But I will absolutely, firmly ask the question, and hopefully we’ll have a very good relationship with Russia,” Trump said.

Earlier in the day, the president found new ways to offend the British. After lobbing a verbal grenade Theresa May’s way yesterday — which was published during the dinner she was hosting for him, no less — he was in backtrack mode Friday, denying he had criticized May after criticizing May. He then insisted America’s relationship with Britain was at “the highest level of special.”

At the press conference the president said he supports a post-Brexit trade deal with the UK, and that it was “fake news” to suggest otherwise. “I didn’t criticize the prime minister. I’ve got a lot of respect for the prime minister,” Trump told reporters.

Meanwhile, in his interview with The Sun, Trump said May’s painstakingly constructed Brexit plan would “kill” Britain’s chances of a trade deal with the U.S. He said the interview left out his praise of May, and that his staff had taped the interview: “It’s called fake news and we solve a lot of problems with the good old recording instrument.”

Say what you want about The Sun, but we’re pretty sure the reporter would have also used the same old recording instrument. And what do you know, turns out they did — and posted it online.

Meanwhile, the Scots also have a little something waiting for the Donald. He’s headed to Scotland this weekend, where protestors have been giddily planning marches and demonstrations for months. Man of the people that he is, he’ll go directly to Turnberry, his golf course and resort on the southwest coast of Scotland, which he told reporters is a “magical place.”

“I think that those people, they like me a lot, and they agree with me on immigration,” he said of the Scots.

(AP Photo/Jeff Schaeffer)

We think someone might be in for a surprise, as he arrived in Britain under the same delusion. Earlier yesterday Trump said he thought London citizens “like me a lot,” despite the planned protests against him, including the 20-foot-tall inflatable baby bearing his face.

A leading farm group says the federal and provincial governments might need to come up with an “ad hoc package” for Canadian agriculture in light of increased trade tensions and promises of additional support for U.S. farmers from the Trump administration. Canadian Federation of Agriculture President Ron Bonnett told iPolitics this week the current trade market is “extremely volatile” and economic tensions have moved beyond farmers’ fears about the ongoing renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. As a result, “there might have to be some short term support…that might be necessary.” iPolitics Kelsey Johnson reports.

Health Canada is threatening to suspend the licenses of medical marijuana producers if they don’t comply with rules on sponsorships and promotions. “The department is reviewing the actions of existing licensed producers and will be taking every possible step to bring them into compliance or prevent non-compliance with existing laws.”

Health Canada issued the stern warning Friday afternoon. You kids out there pay attention now. The department said it’s reviewing licensed producer sponsorship activities following reports of medical cannabis companies sponsoring events such as music festivals before recreational cannabis is legalized in the fall. Our Kyle Duggan reports.

Meanwhile in New Brunswick, Premier Brian Gallant is urging provinces to remain united as Canada faces an onslaught of trade challenges from the U.S. — despite the conflicting policy views held by some of his fellow premiers. That plea comes ahead of next week’s premiers meeting, which Gallant is hosting. CBC News reports.

The new Ontario government is cancelling 758 renewable energy contracts. Energy Minister Greg Rickford announced the cancellations on Friday, saying in the press release that the move would save Ontario $790 million. “We clearly promised we would cancel these unnecessary and wasteful energy projects as part of our plan to cut hydro rates by 12 per cent for families, farmers and small businesses,” Rickford is quoted saying. “In the past few weeks, we have taken significant steps toward keeping that promise.” iPolitics’Peter Robb has more.

The federal immigration minister has called out the Ontario government for using politics of division and rhetoric of fear against irregular migrants coming to the province. “Intentionally doing this is irresponsible, it’s divisive, it’s fear mongering and it’s not Canadian and it is very dangerous,” Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said at a meeting of provincial immigration ministers in Winnipeg. Our Anna Desmarais reports.

The Supreme Court, in a 7-0 decision, ruled today that tobacco companies cannot obtain databases containing medical information in a lawsuit that could potentially cost them billions. The judgment, written by Justice Russell Brown, overturned two lower courts in British Columbia that had ruled in favour of the tobacco companies. The ruling will likely will apply to similar lawsuits proceeding in several other provinces. More from Leslie MacKinnon.

A new national suicide prevention service could be shut down in the next two months if it doesn’t find short-term funding. The Canada Suicide Prevention Service launched as a pilot program in November as a program to link existing Canadian crisis centres and help lines into one large, national digital contact service run by Crisis Services Canada, but just a week ago had to suspend its texting and online messages services amid a funding crunch. Read Kyle Duggan’s story.

The federal government is hunting for a new chief veterinarian as Dr. Jaspinder Komal, who has acted in the role since July, moves into the agency’s vice president of science role. CFIA spokesperson Brian Naud told iPolitics Friday a competition will be launched to find a new veterinarian. Details have not been released. Kelsey Johnson has the details.

The nearly $800 million Parliament initially authorized for renovation and rehabilitation of the Hill’s Centre Block and adjoining Peace Tower will cover only the cost of other work and preparations before the actual renovations begin, government documents show. Despite a recent makeshift plan to move MPs and cabinet ministers who occupy offices in Centre Block to offices elsewhere on the Parliamentary precincts by January, due to a delay in completion of a temporary Commons chamber and other facilities in the Hill’s West Block, the documents suggest the Centre Block overhaul won’t begin until at least 2020. That story from Tim Naumetz.

Still with renovations, guess who’s getting work done on his glass house? Andrew Scheer, that’s who. After waging attacks in recent weeks over the costs of renovations and upgrades to Harrington Lake, another official residence maintained by the NCC and used by the prime minister of the day, the taxpayer-funded house the Conservative leader calls home is getting a new roof. Turns out the federal government is putting a new roof on Stornoway, which the Globe and Mail reports could end up costing in the range of $100,000. Yesterday, Scheer’s office said the work was not comparable to the work done on “Justin Trudeau’s summer retreat.” Of course it isn’t.

Perhaps in a non-Trump White House this would be the strangest political news of the day: House Speaker Paul Ryan’s car was vandalized by feisty woodchucks. He told the story about how the creatures moved into his family’s Chevy Suburban and ate away its wiring, rendering the car useless, at an event at The Economic Club of Washington D.C. Ryan said he’s looking forward to buying a new Ford when he retires.